Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge (Okmulgee)
Protecting important wetlands along the Deep Fork River, Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oklahoma is a newcomer to the National Wildlife Refuge System. Established in 1993, the 8, 696-acre refuge is subject to flooding at least once a year. This flooding results in excellent conditions for waterfowl, including mallard, blue-winged teal, shoveler, pintail, and wood ducks.
Little River National Wildlife Refuge (Broken Bow)
Containing most of the remaining bottomland hardwood habitat in southeastern Oklahoma, the 15, 000-acre Little River National Wildlife Refuge is characterized by low, wet habitat with old oxbows and sloughs interspersed throughout oak and hickory forest. Most of the refuge is forested with bottomland species such as willow oak, sweetgum, cypress, white oak, and holly, but some areas on higher ground support species such as loblolly pine, hickory, and walnut.
Chouteau Lock And Dam 17 (GORE)
Named for Col. Auguste P. Chouteau, whose father built a shipyard on the river bank to build keelboats for the fur trade. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Newt Graham Lock And Dam 18 (GORE)
The Port of Catoosa, terminal point of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, is nearby. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Broken Bow Lake (VALLIANT)
The McCurtain County Wilderness Area at the lake's north end retains its primitive, natural beauty. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Canton Lake (CANTON)
Named for a pioneer Army post or "canton-ment" at the halfway point between Forts Reno and Supply. Deactivated in 1882, the post also served as a Mennonite school for Indians.Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Eufaula Lake (STIGLER)
One of the largest Corps lakes. Outlaw Belle Starr lived near here in the turbulent days between the 1830's and the Civil War. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Fort Gibson Lake (FORT GIBSON)
The Fort Gibson Stockade, a restored frontier fort is located near the lake. Fort Gibson is the oldest town in Oklahoma. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Fort Supply Lake (FORT SUPPLY)
Some original buildings from Fort Supply, used as a base by Lt. Col. George Custer's 7th Cavalry, are located nearby. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Heyburn Lake (Kellyville)
Located near Kellyville in the Sandstone Hills of the Osage Section central lowlands with good hunting and fishing.Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Hulah Lake (COPAN)
Oil discoveries here made the Osage Indian tribe the wealthiest in America. Woolaroc Museum is nearby. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Keystone Lake (Sand Springs)
Author Washington Irving noted Bear's Cove (formerly Bear's Glen) in his 1832 book, "A Tour of the Prairies."Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Oologah Lake (OOLOGAH)
Will Rogers' home is nearby, restored as a State Park. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Pine Creek Lake (VALLIANT)
French trader Jean de la Harpe explored this area, later used by Choctaw Indians to establish small farmsteads. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Robert S. Kerr, Lock And Dam 15 (GORE)
Scene of a capture by Confederate troops of an armed Union steamboat. The Oklahoma Historical Society is developing the area for public use.Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Tenkiller Ferry Lake (GORE)
The area around this beautiful, clear lake is rich in history of the Cherokee Nation. A nearby point of interest is Tsa-La-Gi, an authenic recreation of a Cherokee Village of 1700's, where the Trail of Tears drama is presented. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Waurika Lake (WAURIKA)
This lake impounds the waters of Beaver Creek, about 6 mi NE of Waurika, on OK 5. It forms a 10, 100-acre lake.Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Webbers Falls Lock And Dam 16 (GORE)
On the site of an important steamboat landing, the Falls were mentioned by General Zebulon Pike in his early (1806) explorations. From Muskogee, 20 mi S on Muskogee Turnpike, 5 mi E on US 64, 2 mi N on OK 10.
W.D. Mayo Lock And Dam 14 (GORE)
Nearby Indian mounds date from 700-1500 A.D. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Sardis Lake (CLAYTON)
This lake provides 14, 360 acres of surface water. It impounds Jackfork Creek, a tributary of the Kiamichi River in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains of southeastern Oklahoma.Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Arcadia Lake (ARCADIA)
This lake impounds 1, 820 acres of water on the Deep Fork River in central Oklahoma. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Foss Reservoir (Foss)
Foss Dam and Reservoir, on the Washita River in Custer County, provide regulation of the river flows and municipal and industrial water supplies for several cities in Oklahoma. The lake is approximately 6, 800 acres of open water. Accessible from numerous roads. Several boat ramps and camping facilities. Predominate species include largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, and white bass. Fishing year-round.Foss Dam and Reservoir are features of the Washita Basin Project.
Lake Thunderbird (Norman)
Water is stored in Lake Thunderbird, the reservoir produced by the construction of Norman Dam, Norman Project, and is pumped into two pipelines, one serving Norman, Oklahoma and the other serving suburbs of Oklahoma City. It is the largest body of water within a 100-mile radius. Norman Dam is on the confluence of Hog Creek and Little River. The Lake is approximately 6, 000 acres of open water. Accessible from numerous roads. Several boat ramps and camping facilities.
Optima National Wildlife Refuge (Butler)
Located in the middle of the Oklahoma panhandle, the 4, 333-acre Optima National Wildlfie Refuge is made up of grasslands and wooded bottomland on the Coldwater Creek arm of the Optima Reservoir.
Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge (Jet)
The Salt Plains NWR was established in 1930 as a refuge and breeding ground for birds and has been designated an Important Bird Area and a member of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. It provides habitat for approximately 300 species of birds and 30 species of mammals. The 32, 030 acre refuge is divided into almost equal parts of nonvegetated salt flat, open water, and vegetated land (marsh, woods, grasslands, and croplands).
Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge (Vian)
Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1970 to provide habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds and to provide food and cover for resident wildlife. The refuge was named in honor of Sequoyah, a Cherokee Native American who developed an alphabet for the Cherokee language.
Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge (Tishomingo)
Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge lies at the upper Washita arm of Lake Texoma and is administered for the benefit of migratory waterfowl in the Central Flyway. Most of the refuge's 16, 464 acres, including the 4, 500-acre Cumberland Pool, were acquired in 1946. The refuge gets its name from a famous Chickasaw Indian Chief and is shared with a nearby century-old town. The refuge offers a variety of aquatic habitats for wildlife.
Washita National Wildlife Refuge (Butler)
"They tumble out of the sky like maple leaves, side-slipping right and left to lose altitude, feet spraddled toward shouts of welcome below." Aldo Leopold could easily have been describing the more than 40, 000 geese that punctuate the quiet beauty of the 8, 200-acre Washita National Wildlife Refuge each winter. Within the refuge, the slow-moving Washita River winds through prairie and farmlands to merge with Foss Reservoir, providing a home and resting area for geese and other waterfowl.
Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge (Indiahoma)
The 59, 020-acre Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge hosts a rare piece of the past - a remnant mixed grass prairie. This refuge is an island where the natural carpet of grass escaped destruction because the rocks underfoot defeated the plow. The prairie community hums with life. The refuge provides habitat for large native grazing animals and Texas Longhorn cattle. Bison, elk, deer, coyotes, red-tailed hawks, prairie dogs, turkey, bunch grasses, post oak and blackjack oaks - these are just a few.
Skiatook Lake (SKIATOOK)
The Skiatook Dam is located 14 mi upstream of the confluence of Hominy and Bird Creeks. It forms a 10, 500-acre impoundment.Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Washita Battlefield National Historic Site (Cheyenne)
Washita Battlefield National Historic Site protects and interprets the site of the Southern Cheyenne village of Peace Chief Black Kettle that was attacked by the 7th U.S. Cavalry under Lt. Col. George A. Custer just before dawn on November 27, 1868. The controversial strike was hailed at the time by the military and many civilians as a significant victory aimed at reducing Indian raids on frontier settlements.
Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge (Vian)
Originally known as the Oklahoma Bat Caves National Wildlife Refuge, Ozark Plateau NWR was established for the protection of endangered bats and their habitat. The refuge is made up of several parcels of land located in northeastern Oklahoma. These parcels contain numerous caves considered crucial for the bats' survival. To protect the fragile habitats provided by the caves and the forests surrounding them, this refuge is currently closed to the general public.
Birch Lake (SKIATOOK)
This lake impounds about 1, 137 acres of water on Birch Creek, a tributary of Bird Creek in Osage County. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Copan Lake (COPAN)
About 4, 850 acres of water is impounded behind this dam on the Little Caney River. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Great Salt Plains (CANTON)
Visit Great Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge, one of the chain of refuge areas for ducks and geese on the Continental Central Flyway. Crystal digging is allowed Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from April 1 to Oct. 15.Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Hugo Lake (SAWYER)
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation manages over 18, 000 acres of land and water, which is open to hunting along with an additional 8, 000 acres managed by the Corps. Wildlife around the lake includes waterfowl, bobwhite quail, dove, whitetail deer, mink, fox and beaver. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Kaw Lake (Ponca City)
On the Arkansas River in Kay and Osage Counties in Oklahoma and Crowley County in Kansas, this 17, 000-acre lake offers camping and picnicking; 24, 000 acres in both states are open to hunting and other activities. Game include: deer, turkey, quail, dove, waterfowl, rabbit and prairie chicken.Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Optima Lake (FORT SUPPLY)
Located in an area once known as "No Man's Land" in the Oklahoma Panhandle, this lake is set in a scenic area of sand hills, rock outcroppings and rolling grasslands. Historical points of interest exist close to the lake. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Wister Lake (WISTER)
Near the home of the famous Choctaw Light-horsemen, who kept peace and order during the turbulent years of the last quarter of the 19th century. Visit the web site for more information about this and other Tulsa District lakes.
Altus Lake (Lone Wolf)
Located in Southwest Oklahoma, near city of Lone Wolf. The lake is approximately 6, 500 acres of open water: the park area covers 4, 300 land acres. Fish species include largemouth bass, walleye, crappie, catfish, hybrid striped bass, and white bass. Fishing is available year-round. Several boat ramps and camping facilities are available. Quartz Mountain Resort Park features miniature golf and an 18-hole course.Altus Dam and Lake is part of the W. C. Austin Project.
Arbuckle Lake (Sulphur)
Lake of the Arbuckles is forned by Arbuckle Dam which is a feature of the Arbuckle Project. The lake is located at the confluence of the Buckhorn, Guy Sandy, and Rock Creeks. The area presents unusual opportunities, combining recreational use with scenic, scientific, and historic values. The Arbuckle Mountains are the highest part of a large area of Precambrian granites and overlying sedimentary strata that were uplifted and deformed some 300 million years ago.
Fort Cobb Reservoir (Ft. Cobb)
Fort Cobb Dam and Reservoir, Washita Basin Project, are on Pond (Cobb) Creek, a tributary of the Washita River in Caddo County, Oklahoma. The lake is approximately 4, 000 acres of open water. Accessible from numerous roads. Several boat ramps and camping facilities. Predominate species include largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, hybrid striped bass, and white bass. Fishing year-round.
McGee Creek Reservoir (Atoka)
McGee Creek Dam and Reservoir project includes water conveyance facilities, public recreation facilities, a wildlife management area, and a natural recreation scenic area. The McGee Creek Project provides a municipal and industrial water supply to Oklahoma City and southeast Oklahoma. Three areas provide opportunities for birding. Some of the species to be seen are Wild Turkey, Pileasted Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Pine Warbler.
Tom Steed Reservoir (Mountain Park)
Mountain Park Dam, Mountain Park Project, forms Tom Steed Reservoir, and regulates natural flows of West Otter Creek and diverted flows from Elk Creek to provide municipal and industrial water supplies for the cities of Altus, Snyder, and Frederick, Oklahoma. The water is conveyed from the reservoir to the cities through an aqueduct system that consists of 40 miles of pipeline, two pumping plants, and other facilities. The lake is approximately 6, 400 acres of open water.
Oklahoma City National Memorial (Oklahoma City)
Oklahoma City National Memorial honors the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were changed forever on April 19, 1995. The outdoor Symbolic Memorial, which consists of the following segments on 3.3 acres, can be visited: The Gates of Time: Monumental twin gates frame the moment of destruction - 9:02 - and mark the formal entrances to the Memorial. Reflecting Pool: Gently flowing water soothing wounds with calming sounds and providing a peaceful setting for quiet thoughts.
Chickasaw National Recreation Area (Sulphur)
The ?Peaceful Valley of Rippling Waters? appropriately describes Chickasaw National Recreation Area, as it is known for its many mineral springs, cool water, flora, fauna, and wildlife. Here one?s mind may wander back in time to when the early American Indian came to this area to rest, relax at the water?s edge, and hunt for their food from the abundant wildlife.